Awohalitsiktoli

2 hours ago, NanLaew said:

 

One and half kilo of brisket made for about 20 servings, lasted 2 days, no complaints, requests for more.

 

Torture!  :)  That looks like real chili.  Partner, how long has it been since you had a bowl of NanLaew chili?  Well that's too long.

1 hour ago, Roger Lee said:

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Is that Thai beef?   I am looking forward to trying brisket at both RMPM and SJ's.  I was also told that Pastrami on Rye is either making it now or will make it......not sure as I write this.

7 hours ago, NanLaew said:

I am planning checking out their brisket and ribs today. If you mean traditional east Texas, black 'po folks' BBQ as practiced at Burn's Original BBQ in Acres Homes , north Houston, I am working on it.

 

I just cooked up a pulled brisket chili and paid around 450 baht for around 1.5 kg of brisket from Makro on Sukhumvit (Pattaya). Decent cut with good fat content and although pot chili and smoked BBQ meat needs differ, I am pretty sure once one gets chatting with a couple of their butchers, they can provide close to best-for-BBQ requirements.

Yuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmmm.........pulled brisket chili!  That must taste fantastic. 

2 hours ago, pegman said:

Well Jerry if it kept you out I guess the plan worked. That price for a half BBQ chicken does not seem unreasonable. I will gave to give it a try when I get back over. As for ribs, as you know, no place touches Eddie's.

By "Eddies" I assume you mean Rich Man Poor Man (RMPM) in Jomtien.  I ate RMPM's ribs a couple of weeks ago and they were good.  I really like the sauce.  I would really like to see pics along with a review of Smokin' Joes (SJ).  I am more interested in the items that are hard or almost impossible to find over here:  i.e., really good smoked brisket and pulled pork.  It seems like lots of places do ribs that are OK, such as Sizzler; Tequilla Reef, etc.  It would be great if just one entrepreneur would travel to Texas and copy the smoked BBQ (beef brisket, sausage, ham, ribs) that is served there.  I am not in the restaurant business, but I have to assume that it is almost impossible to get a decent brisket w/ the proper amount of fat content here, and importing them is way too expensive.  

He is actually smiling, and to make it worse he is showing "thumbs up" on both hands.  That is a bit remarkable given that animals that walk on their knuckles do not typically have that level of dexterity. 

Real men do not hit women!

On 11/27/2016 at 2:10 PM, Jingthing said:

Hi there, Indian food fans.

It's BOLLYWOOD KURRY time again.

 

This time a new dish to me (maybe not to you).

 

 

All  cottage cheese koftas (dumplings) in an non-spicy cashew nut, cream, and saffron sauce. Absolutely scrumptious, a little sweet, it's good for those that don't like spicy or you want a non-spicy dish to contrast other spicy dishes. Happy surprise that the sauce wasn't nearly as heavy tasting as I would have expected by the ingredients.

 

I've had koftas many times before but made with vegetables in a darker spicy gravy. This was ALL cottage cheese.

 

To order just order the ALL COTTAGE CHEESE kofta. It's mislabeled on the menu. They have two other kofta choices. One of the other choices is a mix of cottage cheese and vegetable. 

 

For me, the dish reminded me mostly of BLINTZES which is more of a sweet brunch type dish and also kind of like Russian pelmeni pasta stuffed with sweet cottage cheese. But neither of those have the almost decadently elegant GRAVY as on this Indian dish. 

 

While there, as they have now been open well over a month, I asked about which are their BEST SELLING dishes so far.  Well, it's mostly typical dishes, as follows:

 

Biryanis (choice of meats or veg)

Butter Chicken

Yellow dal

Lamb kebabs (I think, a little fuzzy on that one)

Crispy Chilli Prawns (Chinese Indian fusion dish same style as I pictured before in the Crispy Chilli Baby Corn)

 

In pursuing the now notorious Samosa "controversy"  (are they the same everywhere or not, people need to know!) brought up by a member on this thread, I did ask about their Samosas about whether they were "really good" or just boring?

 

I was told yes they are really good, made in house of course, but the proof is in the eating, and alas, they weren't prepared for that night. For later then. 

 

I do have a funny samosa story from another Pattaya restaurant. I really don't order them very often, but it's usually when they're SUB-PAR when they really stand out. Well I tried them at a place that generally had good food, and they were really quite awful. The owner's reply when I shared my impression, well, you know, samosas! No, I didn't really know ... but the plot thickens. 

 

I just tried their Malai Kofta.  I told them that I like lots of spices but want it just a bit hot.  I have never had this. It was a vegetarian dish.  It was really delicious!  Four dumpling things (not sure what, maybe cottage cheese with something added) in a wonderful curry sauce.  200 bhat.  I had palak paneer earlier, but I would skip that and try this dish if you have never had it.  One of the best Indian dishes I have ever had, and I lived there for nearly two years.  Thanks for the tip Jingthing......much appreciated.

15 hours ago, ffaarraanngg said:

How did you come up with these numbers? ..... and how many new buyers annually are there? 

 

But if there is excess property on the market this is good for keeping prices down. developers aren't going bankrupt, prices aren't skyrocketing or crashing ... hence it would seems supply and demand is in sync.

 

 

 

Forum rules do not allow us to give links to the Bangkok Post.  I will not even attempt to understand why.  The 60,000 unsold units figure could be from an article that may or may not be in a recent edition of something with the initials BP (hint, hint, wink, wink, nudge, nudge). Maybe do a Google search using these words: 2016  Pattaya condominium market down

 

7 hours ago, pattayadude said:

I can't believe some posters go on and on and on and on like the energizer rabbit.

Being happy in whatever city or country you live in a is subjective and based on or influenced by personal feelings, good and bad experiences,tastes or opinion and even those  can change over time or aging and it's perfectly normal.

We are talking "humans" here.

A new shopping centre  by the dolphin square may please some and it's the end of the road for others.

Some wouldn't be caught dead in that  2nd road restaurant and for others it's like a daily visit to a sacred place or shrine.

For some Pattaya is going uphill, for some others it's going downhill.

I believe this topic is exhausted and some posters are just repeating themselves over and over and over.

Yep, uphill for some and downhill for others.  IMHO, one poster -- the one who posts the infantile, illogical, long and totally boring posts -- has a mental disease (specifically, narcissistic personality disorder).  People with that disease cannot tolerate another point of view and are, in their limited mindset, always right.   They cannot admit to making a mistake and always must have the last say.  They spend huge amounts of time trying to convince others that they are right.  That same poster is no doubt invested in the local real estate market.  His "game" (Pattaya-Jomtien is going uphill, has never been better, and anybody who disagrees is old, poor and stupid) is transparent. 

19 minutes ago, Henryford said:

It is impossible to sell even a decent condo now at a reasonable price. Any potential buyer thinks because there is an oversupply they can offer a stupid low price. I've given up dealing with these jokers.

Sellers can wish for an astronomical ROI until pigs learn to fly, but (in general and all things being equal) it is the marketplace (supply vs demand) that sets the actual value of a property.   The people you mentioned are not all "jokers;" rather, they are realists.  There is a huge oversupply of units (condos and houses).  And more condo projects are being built.  It seems like an insane market driven by insane economic concepts.  But maybe I am wrong.  I certainly have been wrong on other things in the past.

3 hours ago, Asiantravel said:

 

there are more than a dozen casino hotels in Miami which is quoted in the original post to this article but they haven't stopped there being a severe oversupply. I can't see the correlation between any casinos (even if they come )driving up the prices of 17,000 vacant condominiums  clutching at straws I would say

 

Totally agree with you.  There is a huge oversupply of condo units.  I do not see prices going up very much no matter what they construct.  I remember a lot of people saying that condo prices would skyrocket after the Swamp Airport was built, but that never happened (yes, they went up slightly).  Rental prices are about what they were 16 years ago!  And as far as I know from listening to people who are trying to sell and get out of this market, they are having extreme difficulty selling anything; some cannot sell even after dropping the price.  The person that owns more condo units than any other person I know told me that "he has never seen the market this bad."  But you never know for sure.  If the global economy continues to spiral downward more people will flee industrialized countries in an attempt to find a better quality of life at reduced costs.  Some will mistakenly think this is the place to be.  And more people will likely flee Bangkok as conditions worsen there.  Those two events will likely have a positive impact on the market (how much......no idea).  I think future casinos and high speed rail connections will only have a minor impact on the real estate market here. 

On 11/20/2016 at 5:13 PM, KittenKong said:

 

And I can expect to eat pizza at every meal and still lose weight. Why dont you try selling your condo and let us know how much you actually get?  As for so-called 3 million Baht condos selling for a half of the asking price or less, I've seen it happen. And there are still units for sale today in the same building at the same full asking price they were at 3 years ago.

 

All property I have owned in other countries has increased in value by at least 50% every ten years, sometimes more. I dont see that happening here. And anything that is still worth today what it was worth 10 years ago has in fact decreased substantially in value simply due to inflation.

 

Thai property looks like a lousy investment to me and prices generally seem way too high for the poor quality of what you get. That said, most of the Caribbean is much more expensive for equally poor quality.

 

2 hours ago, IMA_FARANG said:

What is the actual occupation rate of those condos in Pattaya?

That is what oercentage of the condo rooms are actually lived in by the owners?

That statistic is probably a more honest measure of demand for condos than hoe ma,y rooms are "sold".

I suspect the occupstion rate is less thsn 60 percent of those "owned" rooms re actually occcupied by the "owners".

 

I know several people who cannot sell their condo units (upper and lower end units, all w/ views of the ocean).   Most are ignoring the fact that supply has greatly exceeded demand.

2 hours ago, yogi100 said:

 

A lot of the 'whingers' you refer to are simply people making negative comments about certain aspects of life in Pattaya. These comments can be useful and informative and can warn others not to let the same misfortune befall them. And can let other folk know what bars, hotels and eateries etc to avoid.

 

Who wants to read pink and fluffy fairy tales. It's the bad news that sells cos people want to read it.

The so called "whingers" (whiners/complainers) are often engaged in "positive negativism".  They are trying to reflect reality and want to point out a problem with the hope of it being recognized as a problem and corrected.   If a whiner/complainer does not also point out the positives, he/she is not to be trusted.  On the other side, if a member of the "Rose-colored glasses brigade" never points out the negatives, he/she is not to be trusted.  Nobody can truthfully say that I do not point out both the negatives and positives.   For, me the negatives outweigh the positives.  For others, it is 100% la la land--all smiles and no problems.  IMHO, these people are  involved in the local real estate market or are sexual predators/alcoholics, but some really do love this place and see it as a wonderful alternative to Siberia or Syria, or the urban ghetto in the US they came from).

Some of these posts force me to the conclusion that if you heavily invest in real estate over here and are unable to accept the fact that you made a terrible investment decision you end up nuts, trying to convince people that a "dead parrot" is actually alive and kicking:

1 hour ago, NanLaew said:

 

So in a nutshell, those that find themselves' trapped' in a city they despise are the victims of their own choices poor or otherwise and nothing at all to do with Pattaya specifically or Thailand generally.

 

Cambodia and Vietnam already have beach-side hideaways that have been siphoning off the broke and disillusioned less ardent for quite a while now. But loads more just go to the Philippines.

Of course the choices people make impact their lives, but it is wrong to intimate that people who think Pattaya-Jomtien is going downhill do so for reasons that have nothing to do with Pattaya-Jomtien.  I know dozens of former long-term residents of Thailand who have relocated to the Philippines (many say that the people there are more friendly).   IMHO, neither Cambodia nor Viet Nam have coastal cities that are similar to Pattaya-Jomtien was during its uphill phase (the great years in the 80s and 90s).   Sihanoukville is certainly a city with great potential.  Maybe, with some positive development, it will eventually be a genuine alternative to the madness here.   Dream on if you think everything is wonderful here; it is not!  Dream on if you think the best years are now (that is laughable).  Having said that, there are still positive things here.  I simply do not like the downward spiral the city is in.   The negatives are outweighing the positives for many people here, especially those who have been here a long time and have witnessed the changes. 

2 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

 

I think you will find most of the whinging about Pattaya comes from people who dont live here. I dont know why.

I live here and enjoy it. Away from walking st its the same as any other place in Thailand.

Pattaya is very different from any other place I have lived in Thailand.

20 minutes ago, Flanno said:

So why don't all the whingers who say Pattaya is going downhill just get up and go somewhere else? Probably because they would be whinging an whining wherever they are!

I'm in Pattaya now and enjoying it as much as I ever have over the last 17 years. Yeah the traffic, infrastructure and beach could certainly be improved but the positives far outweigh the negatives. Excellent accommodation, good food and beer all at very reasonable prices and there are heaps of expats who are happy living here and lead good lives. If there's better value elsewhere then why aren't the whiners there?

What is a "whinger?"  I do know people who made the mistake of putting almost all of their money in real estate and now find it impossible to move (can't sell and get out as there are few buyers).  Others own businesses here and are finding it very hard to sell and get out (no buyers).  Others are attached to a Thai woman and her family and are having a hard time finding a better option, even though they want out.  Others are not rich and cannot afford to move.  Others have yet to discover a better option, even  though they hate the place.  Still others have medical issues and the good medical situation in Thailand keeps them here.  Others are working for large, international corporations/organizations and have yet to be transferred out of Thailand.    There are probably a lot more reasons for not moving.   It is not always a simple choice.   I guarantee you that if Vietnam or Cambodia eventually manage to create cities that are similar to Pattaya-Jomtien, loads of expats will leave.

4 minutes ago, pattayalover said:

if you don't like Pattaya you can still go to the USA. Trump is waiting for your tax money. lol

US citizens pay taxes no matter where they live.  But, back on topic, yes, Pattaya is going downhill.  And yes, there are still positive things about the place.  I think the negatives have outweighed the positives since the end of the 90s (very end).

1 hour ago, onemorechang said:

 

Trouble is there is 67 million suspects at-large

If we assume that somebody is dumping trash at sea, then the list of suspects narrows.

We had a very similar scene on Jomtien Beach a week or so ago.  The beach vendors clean it up each day, or at least try to.   IMHO, the source of the trash should be investigated. 

8 minutes ago, pattayadude said:

YW.

Yes photos do tell the truth!

It never used to flood as often or at this magnitude before.

What we are doing has nothing to do with bashing a city.

On the contrary, I hope our criticism and the messages reaches out somehow and hopefully  they  try to fix some of the issues as much as they can so once again this rare city can retrieve most of it's old glory it deserves!

Ooooooops, a reality check for "a certain poster" who is without question invested in real estate and cannot accept a different point of view.  No point in even reading or responding to the long, boring, infantile and misleading posts he constructs.

3 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Assuming we are not suggesting that it should have been left as an undeveloped beach and fishing village, the uphill for me was up till the election of Thaksin and the downhill started with the subsequent devastation that Purachai committed on Pattaya.

So, to answer your question, yes, from when it was an undeveloped beach till the late 90s.

I also think it was going uphill until the late 90s.  The post-90s real-estate madness (which really took off around 2004) ruined the place, with a few exceptions (e.g. Central Festival Mall is a positive).  But unless you actually experienced Pattaya-Jomtien during the 90s and earlier, particularly the 80s, you can't grasp the fact that the place did start to die in the late 90s.  We will never see those great days again.  Of course, most people who are heavily invested in real estate in the area are unable to accept this fact.  The city is still here.  What has DIED is a Pattaya-Jomtien that was far better than the one we see today.

10 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

You mix "... soil erosion..." with "... beach erosion...". Trees, including your much maligned old-growth ones were planted in the soil, not the sand. How exactly did their removal exacerbate beach erosion which is primarily a function of the prevailing currents. Any comment on the impact of the hugely reconstructed headland at the Dusit, say about 20 years ago?

Sand is a "soil type."  Obviously, I am talking about beach erosion when I talk about soil erosion.  The two old-growth trees that they slaughtered are both known for their ability to mitigate soil/beach erosion.  Dusit?  Are you talking about this?

There are few places along the beach that are very rocky w/ almost no sand.  I am not sure what your point is.  Did they build the "point" over a beach area or what is a natural point?   Either way, an exception never makes a rule.  It is a fact that the old-growth trees mitigated soil/beach erosion.  One only has to look at their extensive root systems to understand why.   In the 80s the old-growth threes were 4-5 rows deep.  Now, in some places (e.g.  near the police station in Jomtien), they are gone. 

The City caused the erosion that we are seeing today.  Nature played a small role too, but the main cause was the destruction of the old-growth forest on both Pattaya Beach and Jomtien Beach.  And as far as city floodwater is concerned, a major reason for that is the destruction of all of the "green areas" that used to cover a lot of the city.  Those areas -- areas now covered by concrete -- absorbed rainwater, thus mitigating floods.  

Because of what the City did, tax dollars are now having to be spent correct their mistake -- tax dollars that could have be spent on many other necessary projects.  It is a shame.

On 11/16/2016 at 9:13 AM, mikebell said:

The erosion is not caused by the sea (inho).  The Pattaya floods wash it away.  Watch Beach road as it turns into a river during every downpour.  See how the water drains onto the beach and eventually into the sea taking tons of sand with it.  The tides flush away this surplus.

Elementary my dear Watson.

It is also elementary that the old-growth forest that once covered Pattaya/Jomtien beach mitigated soil erosion for decades.  It was only after the morons destroyed the old-growth forest that beach erosion accelerated.

3 hours ago, sandgroper2 said:

 

Not doubting ;for one moment that you are not getting paid for writing the superlative plug. Strange that you would put so much time into it though.

 There is absolutely nothing strange about a person pursuing a passion.